title: Phaseguides: a paradigm shift in microfluidic priming and emptying.
abstract: Phaseguide technology gives complete control over filling and emptying of any type of microfluidic structures, independent of the chamber and channel geometry. The technique is based on a step-wise advancement of the liquid-air interface using the meniscus pinning effect. In this paper, the main effects and parameters underlying the phaseguiding principle are discussed and a demonstration is given of its potential for dead angle filling, spatially controlled phaseguide overflow and sequential phaseguide overflow, all accumulating in a passive valving approach. Phaseguides represent a new direction in microfluidic design thinking that will prove a leap forward towards more simple, flexible and reliable microfluidic systems.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Sensors, Department of Microsystems Engineering, 60 (IMTEK), Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 103, Freiburg, Germany. p.vulto@gmx.net
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vulto
authors.forename: Susann
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Podszun
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hermann
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manz
authors.forename: Gerald A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Urban
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*